Ferrari’s 2024 Formula 1 car has undergone a complete overhaul, but it remains unique compared to its competitors in one key area. The new Ferrari SF-24, according to Enrico Cardile, the technical director of chassis, marks a significant departure from the team’s previous ground effect cars. Ferrari has chosen to prioritize its aerodynamic work, deviating from the trend followed by other teams of adopting pushrod rear suspension. This decision sets Ferrari apart from its rivals and raises questions about its potential performance limitations compared to its main competitors.
While other teams have focused on suspension and platform control to achieve better balance and consistent aerodynamics, Ferrari has chosen to stick with its pushrod front and pullrod rear configuration. This choice makes Ferrari the only team consciously opting for the pullrod rear setup. Even Ferrari’s customer team, Haas, must follow suit as they source this part from Ferrari. In contrast, teams like Red Bull, McLaren, Alpine, and Sauber (another Ferrari customer) have already embraced pushrod rear suspension. Mercedes has also made the switch, as evidenced by the new Aston Martin, which uses Mercedes’ rear end.
Sauber’s case is particularly interesting as they went to great lengths in 2022 to have a pushrod design. While Ferrari supplies the gearbox internals, Sauber developed its own casing to have its own suspension geometry design, complete with pushrod. Sauber’s technical director, James Key, believes that while the choice between pullrod and pushrod at the front is a coin-toss, there is a clear advantage to using pushrod at the rear, primarily for aerodynamic reasons.
Ferrari did consider a pushrod layout but concluded that the advantages it offered did not outweigh the compromises in terms of weight and compliance. The team is satisfied with the balance it has achieved between these factors and aerodynamic performance with its current configuration and does not plan on making any changes this year. While Ferrari has made adjustments to the suspension, particularly in terms of anti-dive in the front and anti-squat in the rear, Cardile, the chassis technical director, has expressed a contrasting view to his peers. He believes that suspension setup is somewhat overrated and that aerodynamics play a more significant role in dictating performance.
Ferrari’s approach sets it apart from its rivals, and the question remains whether the team has made the right decision or if it has imposed a performance limitation that its competitors do not face.
According to the Source the-race.com